To book international work trips having just found out pregnant?

[Lndn93]

I’ve recently tested positive (4 and a half weeks; planned although first try, so slightly earlier than expected!) The dilemma is that I have just been asked to go on two trips to the US this summer and need to decide today/tomorrow if I can do the first one. I tried to avoid it, but no-one else in the team can go in my place.

I really would like to go – these are trips that I enjoy and are relatively stress free. The dilemma is working out if the timing suits and if I should disclose. The first trip is a long flight (11 hours), 7 nights long with short, domestic flight in the middle, and I would need to fly out from the UK the day after I reach the 12 weeks pregnant mark.

I’ve already been scheduled for my 12 week scan, which is exactly 12 weeks (aka the day before I would fly). Is this too close to my departure? What if I was to receive bad news? However, I am hoping to bring my DH on this trip, so I would be well supported. As far as I can tell, my company’s travel insurance policy would cover any medical emergencies (but I would check this for sure).

The second trip is less of a concern (I think). I would be 18 weeks and it is a shorter flight / around 4 nights duration.

I am fit, healthy, early 30s. I am planning to pay for a private early scan at 8 weeks for reassurance.

I am aware that there is still a relatively high chance of miscarriage, so I guess there is also a chance that I may not be pregnant by the time these trips come around. What would you do? Would you disclose to line manager? It still feels very early days and I ordinarily would not want to share until closer to 12 weeks, but perhaps it is the best thing to do in this case.

It is first pregnancy for me and I don’t know if I am being a bit naïve. I am going to ring the hospital team who have sent me booking details, but any thoughts on here would be very welcome

I had a couple of work trips (to San Diego), one at about 5 weeks - I didn't tell anyone then, only impact was I was picky about food, and then at about 20 weeks - I asked nicely at checkin and got an upgrade to business for the return.

But I didn't have morning sickness or other issues.

First thing would be to check your travel insurance in case you do need medical care.

I think the 18 week trip will be fine. Not sure about the 12 week one. I was beyond exhausted and felt sick as a dog until 12/14 weeks with all mine.

Go on the trip
No need to disclose anything to work
Let your midwife know though. It’s a long haul flight so depending on your own personal risk factors you might need additional medication whilst you’re away.

And congratulations 🥰

I felt exhausted until about week 10 but after that completely normal. Didn’t feel pregnant until my belly started getting bigger (about 15 weeks). Didn’t have any sickness or nausea.
I would carry on as normal for as long as you feel able to- these kind of trips get harder with a little one. I’d say yes without hesitation and you can always change your mind closer to the time. I don’t think you’ll get any criticism if you have to cancel- with it being your first you have no idea how you’ll feel.
We travelled lots including long haul whilst I was pregnant up to about 7 months without any issues at all.

I would carry on as normal for as long as you feel able to- these kind of trips get harder with a little one.

Yes... I used to go to the US a lot, I've only been three times in the 25 years since; when dd was one and two (possible only because we had an excellent nanny and DH is a competent father) and once when she was a late teen. DD is 25 now, I'm on the verge of retiring and I regret I never got round to doing the sightseeing stuff in the San Diego area when I had the opportunity!

You'll be absolutely fine.

Go and enjoy whilst you're still child free.

I would still do the trips if you feel well enough. However, I would say morally and legally you MUST disclose your pregnancy to your line manager if you still do the trips. The travel insurance that work have taken won't necessarily cover pregnancy related issues, and if something went wrong you would not be covered. This would reflect badly on the company and your managers, as well as opening a horrible hole about whole pays what in relation to private medical expenses and stuff. If for any reason you are not prepared to disclose yet, you MUST find another way of refusing to go on the trips.

I think you will be fine, but absolutely check you will be covered under your travel insurance. The one place you don’t want to be caught without any travel insurance is the US.

I also wouldn’t have worried about flying, but as others have said, make sure you have bullet proof travel insurance for the US. An early reassurance scan is also a good idea as you’ve said, just so you aren’t stressing about any further NIPT etc testing on the day you fly. Good luck!

What rubbish and overly-dramatic advice!

No she doesn’t need to disclose anything to her managers! Morally or legally. And yes she can also go on the trip if she wishes.

The sensible thing for anyone going travelling under a company insurance policy should be to request a copy of the policy from their team to make sure that it meets their own needs. Pregnant or not. Because your company won’t be bailing you out abroad if it doesn’t.

If on reading the policy the OP is worried about inadequate cover then she can get her own travel insurance. Many policies cover pregnant women as standard provided normal non-high risk pregnancy.

I'm surprised to see all the reactions saying "there's no reason not to go" at 12 weeks.
I personally had HG, so was on the extreme side (I threw up 10+ times a day and couldn't even leave house as any change of smell or movement triggered another episode), but 12 weeks is still the morning sickness stage? Many of my friends who had smooth pregnancies still reported feeling extremely tired in the first trimester.
The flight at 20 weeks is a lot more likely to be smooth.

It really depends though. I had no morning sickness at all and I have other friends who were similar. My doctor said 20-30% don’t get sickness, so more than one might think. I don’t think OP should turn down a good work opportunity just on an “if”, especially so early on (when unfortunately there are many other risks too). If she does unluckily get HG/feels awful presumably she can cancel closer to the time.

Op I did this with my first pregnancy. Early thirties. Some mild health conditions which ultimately didn't affect pregnancy.

I went to Texas to recce venues at 8 weeks, and Tokyo to run a 4 day conference at 18 week. Both were absolutely fine. My right hand man was a guy I had known for years so I told him in strict confidence in case I was unwell or needed help. Plus I knew he would question why I was refusing alcohol!
I liked knowing there was someone there who could help if needed and I can tell my dd I first felt her move in Tokyo!

Agree with this - though I would always get a private NIPT at ten weeks to eliminate the waiting! Could that be an option for you OP?

Where in the US? I would check abortion laws - if the worst should happen and you have a serious problem while there you would want to be assured that you will be able to access proper medical care. You will also need to check your health insurance policy. Other than that I think it should be fine.

I personally wouldn’t. My first pregnancy , I went on a long haul to Hong Kong and experienced some spotting at the end of my trip. Luckily, we were coming home soon, but I arrived back to find I’d miscarried. If it had happened at the beginning of the trip, I don’t know what I’d have done.

when I was pregnant with my son, I felt fine for the first few weeks, then suffered with HG until the day i gave birth. I had to have fluids and routine docs appts because of the severity of the sickness . I couldn’t imagine doing a work trip in the throes of morning sickness!

i think OP is right to be unsure, because she has no idea how her pregnancy is going to progress. I personally didn’t sign up for anything extra at work the second time I fell pregnant because I felt it would be more disruptive for my team should I have to back out.

that being said, it’s the last time to travel before you have a baby, so it is an appealing prospect . A tough one OP, but only you can decide .

At 12 weeks I was struggling with fatigue and sickness.
It generally kicked in about an hour after I woke up which was enough for me to get into work but then find myself too sick to dare getting back on the train home so spent a lot of the first 4 months of pregnancy in the toilets at work or at my desk trying not to be sick and not look like death even with anti sickness tablets. Around 4pm the sickness would start to subside and I could then manage to get back on the train home. Then the government kindly sent everyone home and the sickness through my 3rd trimester was so much easier to manage because I was in my own space

Due to my job I had to inform my line manager the day after the positive test. It was just before Christmas and I'm glad we had already had the chat as I had the first week of January off with pregnancy sickness

Im a GP and I didn't get genetic tests as I would have kept the baby regardless but my daughter didn't die of a serious genetic condition. She died because I went into spontaneous labour due to a cervical problem and at 20 weeks they won't resuscitate.

Perhaps consider your vicious, insensitive responses to someone when you don't know the facts. I hope your baby never dies in your arms.

The screening tests are optional. For some people they would not terminate a pregnancy regardless of the result in which case they may decline the test as it may not change the outcome. That is an individual choice and also perfectly valid. Everyone has their own reasons, just because the responders profession is that of a GP it does not mean that she has to have screening tests if she doesn’t want them. I’m sure she’s pretty clued up on the implications for herself and her own family.

I was in a similar situation with my first, and was scheduled not go on a fairly hectic trip round the US with a fair few early morning flights and evening events at a similar time in my pregnancy.

I thought it would be absolutely fine, but my midwife recommended against it, and I'm very glad she did, because the morning sickness and tiredness hit me like a train at about 8 weeks, and I don't think I would have had a good time at all.

The majority of people feel fine at 18 weeks and the majority feel shit at 12 weeks.

But who knows, you can't put your life on hold when you're pregnant.

I'd probably say yes, if you feel awful, you don't need to disclose that you knew you were pregnanct when you said yes.

As a pregnant woman, I agree with this

You may also want to check your employer's travel insurance covers pregnancy.

@BlackThumb when deciding to test, you also have to decide what you will do about it. If it's a good result, fine, you can rest assured that your baby doesn't have one of the few genetic disorders they test for.

What if it's ambiguous or bad news? And the tests have a statistical component, it's not 100% accurate. Many women would choose not to terminate or to undergo further investigations anyway.